


The Crow: A King's Revenge

by nickisgirl



Category: The Crow
Genre: Fantasy, Gen, Revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-04 04:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6641605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickisgirl/pseuds/nickisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A year after Cecil the Lion was tragically killed outside of Hwange State Park, a crow brings him back to seek revenge for his death. Along with the crow, he has the assistance of his beloved friend Brent who studied Cecil for nine years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. From lion to Crow

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fiction. The only fiction is of Cecil being brought back to life, him being a total black lion, and of course the deaths of those involved. I also dedicate this in loving memory of Cecil (and also Jericho who died in 2016 by natural causes) and all of the lions that had died. We love you guys and we'll keep on roaring.

PEOPLE ONCE BELIEVED THAT WHEN SOMEONE DIES, A CROW CARRIES THEIR SOUL TO THE LAND OF THE DEAD. AND WHEN SOMETHING SO BAD HAPPENS, A TERRIBLE SADNESS IS CARRIED WITH IT AND THE SOUL CAN'T REST. AND SOMETIMES, JUST SOMETIMES, THE CROW CAN BRING THAT PERSON BACK TO PUT THE WRONG THINGS RIGHT.

HWAGNE STATE PARK

JULY, 2015

Light was ahead of him. It was daint and not really seen closely but it was there. And there was food, wonderful food! Cecil spotted it and walked towards it. He crossed the railroad that lies in between his home. Behind him, endless plains with a few trees sprayed out like a blanket. This was his home, where he had lived since he was born. The place next door was someone else's property though he never had gone here before. And so, he leaves his territory. After all, he is hungry and the food provided for him was tasty enough to eat. So, he digged in, eating away. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an arrow flew, striking the majestic lion on the side of his body. He roared in pain at the moment it struck him. Forty eight hours had gone by since then and he was walking with pain. He tried to head back to his home but it was so great that he couldn't move fast enough. Suddenly, a sound of a gun rang off and all he could see was....darkness. The great King is dead.

 

A YEAR LATER 

Rain poured down on the park. The lions were all asleep at this point-even Jericho the Lion and the members of Cecil's pride. The body of Cecil (without the skin or the head) was buried inside the park. A monument was placed where he was buried and flowers were still left at it by tourists, including the research team. One of them was a big bouquet by Brent Stampelkamp who had taken photos of Cecil during his research. To them, Cecil was like a member of their own family. To Zimbabwe, he was like royalty. He was greatly admired by the country and the state park. He was a famed lion who had lionesses and cubs in his pride and a brother who is more of an ally than of a blood related sibling but he thinks of him as a blood related sibling. And now, here he was. A black crow caws his way throughout the stormy African sky, making his way towards the monument and perches himself on top of it like he did before endless times. He pecked at the monument for a few minutes and lent out a huge caw, telling Cecil that it's time. He flew off and landed swiftly on a tree next to the stone and watched as the tombstone shook as if there was an earthquake. The ground in front of it cracked and spread apart only for the lion to emerge. One after another, a black paw made its way through the bag he was placed in and now touched the African soil. A pure black lion climbed his way out of the ground. He was Cecil alright and now in tact even though he was buried headless and skinless. His fur was still there, all vibrant but without his collar. He lent out a huge roar, two pearly white teeth glistened in the rain. He was lending out all the pain he was feeling. He could see himself being shot and how he had walked for hours before they were to shoot him. He could see the killers with grins on their faces. He could feel his skin being ripped apart and then the sound of his head being sliced off. It was as if he was a spirit watching everything. With this pain he was able to rise out of the ground. A crow's caw had him stop roaring for a moment and turned towards the crow.

_Who are you?_

_I am the one who resurrected you,_ the crow said through his mind to him.  _You were brought back to set everything right. You saw everything that had happened. With that, you can be able to track down those who did this to you and kill them._

_What of my pride? Can I stay?_

_The pride is doing okay. Your brother is looking after them. But, no, Cecil. You cannot. You can pay them a visit before you head back to the land of the dead but you can't stay._

_Okay. But, for some part of me going after them, how do I go and kill Walter?_

_Follow me. I know someone who can help._

Cecil watched as the crow flew off into the distance, cawing. He followed the caw towards a house deep in the heart of Africa. A jeep with the logo of the research pasted on the side, parked in front of the house. Inside the house, a man is seen watching television with his wife and child. His hair was pulled back in a man bun, and had his arm wrapped lovingly around his wife. She stood and scooped their young blond haired handsome son into her arms and carried him off to bed after giving her husband a kiss. He smiled at her and waved at the two before turning his attention back to the television. Cecil looked directly at Brent. Flashes of memories came to him from him being collared for the first time to the sound of Brent's gentle British voice saying that he will be okay and that not to disturb him when he's taking photos, to the other researchers. He didn't mind his presence. Or even of the tourists. And even after the memories had faded, he felt comtempt.

_So, this is who will help me? Uncle Brent?_

_Yes. Do you mind?_

_No, not at all. Will he help me throughout all of this?_

_Would you want that, Cecil?_

_Yes. Especially if I was to face Walter. I need someone to help me get to where he is._

_Then, yes. Brent will be the human guide. As for me, I'll guide you. It's my job. I know where he is._

_Thank you. Here goes nothing._

 

Cecil approached the truck, hopped onto the back of it and then the roof. From there, he could get a good view of the window. Maybe he could reach it? He noticed the house was high. How do he get inside the place? And then as luck has it, someone emerged out in the rain. He hid. It was Brent. He must have forgotten something in his truck so he made his way towards it, wearing a rain coat. One of the dogs peaked their heads out of the door. "No, no, girl, stay inside," he called out to her. The dog barked and turned her head back inside the house. Brent opened the driver side to get his camera that he used earlier in the day to snap photos of Jericho and the cubs. He closed the door. Cecil peaked his head out, watching him. As Brent made his way, he took notice of the crow perched on a tree branch nearby, staring at him. He raised the camera and snapped a photo of the bird since he never saw one there. He looked over his shoulder at the pure black lion. That was when he gasped. Cecil backed up a little just to leap off of the truck and landed swiftly on his paws. He lent out a soft purr as he approached him. Poor Brent stood in shock. Could it be him? Could it be Cecil? But it surely doesn't _look_ like him! When Cecil approached him, he nudged his head against Brent's stomach. He reached out to Cecil and touched his mane. Then, he looked into his eyes and see the majesty in it. And the soft look that Cecil always have. "C-Cecil?" Brent asked. "How..." He looked over at the crow who cawed as if he was saying he was the one that brought Cecil back. "I wish you can tell me. But, I think that bird is here with you?" Cecil lent out a small roar. "Why?" He blinked. Cecil sadly looked away towards the direction of the forest and then back to him. Then, he looked at the house searching for an answer. And then flashes of the murder happened. To demonstrate this, he laid down in the same position when he was eating the meat and was shot by the arrow. Then, he crawled on his paws as if he was winching in pain and then laid still in the grass and closed his eyes, playing dead. "Walter Palmer?" He opened his eyes and roared. "You want to go after him and Theo?" Cecil stood upright. "Well, let's see if we'll do something to distant yourself from others." An idea came to mind. He had seen some crows-pied crows to be exact-in Africa. He had gotten one of their feathers that he found on the ground. He could tie it to a string and then hang it around Cecil's neck. He snapped his fingers. "I'll be right back. Stay right here." He went inside. The crow followed him inside, while thunder roared. Cecil saw flashes of lightning come as Brent's shadow made his way inside one of the room. He stopped and turned to the bird who had perched himself on the window sill. He flapped his wings constantly until one feather fell onto the floor of the room. Brent was surprised. But then it was a sign. It was as if he was telling Brent to take his. So, he did just that. The crow turned his attention to Cecil, sending him a mental message that Cecil will be getting his feather around his neck. Cecil was pleased. Ten minutes passed. And then Brent, dressed in a rain coat with a suitcase (he had probably left a message for his job on the phone and a note for his wife and son that he'd be gone for two days and will be back to survey Jericho and the pride and other things) in his left hand, while Cecil's necklace in the other. He placed the suitcase inside the truck and then tied the necklace around Cecil's neck. It was a ruby necklace with black stones shaped like a fang. In the middle was the feather. "This ruby necklace was found in a marketplace. I couldn't find its owner so I got to keep it. You can keep it, Cecil." Cecil stuck out his tongue and gave him a kiss on his face. Brent giggled. "Hey, thanks, buddy! Okay, are you ready?" Cecil roared. "That's my buddy. Let's go and get the sons of a bitches that did this to you. Just follow me and the bird. We'll take you." The crow flew off and so, Brent hopped into the truck, closed the door and turned on his headlights. Once they were on and the engine, he drove off first having Cecil follow both of them. It was time.


	2. Theo and Honest

Sitting in the jail cell, Theo slumped against the back of the wall and looked out the window towards the raining sky. He's still waiting for the trial in the jail cell, along with Honest (who was in the next cell). He sighed. "I didn't do anything," he whined softly to himself. His cellmate who was also waiting for his own trial, snored loudly. "Damn it.." He sighed and closed his eyes. Maybe he could get some sleep. Honest's voice broke through.

"Hey," he spoke. Theo opened his eyes. "Are you alright?"

"No," Theo replied. "It's not fair. While Walter isn't in the jail cell with us and gets to get away, we on the other hand are here in jail waiting for a fucking trial that shouldn't even happen. I didn't do anything wrong! It was legal."

"I believe you."

"This is not right. All because of one lion?"

"I know."

Theo slumped against the wall and sighed once again.

______________________________

The crow first lands onto the roof of the jailhouse while Cecil arrived and followed by Brent. Since he came back, his strength and speed was more agile and faster than he was as a lion. It was from the powers from the bird. He was amazed. So was Brent! He thought that Cecil was _behind_ him all that time. But, it turned out that he wasn't. "Good lord," was all Brent say. He turned off his headlights. "Cecil," he called out to the lion. "I'll be back. I'm going to see if I can get us a plane. I may not get you onto the big one but I'll get a smaller one so it can take just you and me. Okay?" Cecil looked over his shoulder at him and did a soft purr. It was as if he said yes. "Okay. I'll be back." He backed up and drove off. As he did, the crow moved to the right towards where Theo's jail cell was located. Cecil turned his attention towards the bird and followed. Once he was at the window, he stood onto his hind legs and rested his paws on the windowsill. He saw Theo slumped against the wall with a disgruntled face. The bird flew onto the windowsill too and squeezed between the two balls. He landed onto the floor. Theo opened his eyes and screamed. Cecil released his grip and then fell back onto his four paws. There was sounds of wings flapping and cawing while Theo screamed. "There's a black bird in here!" he shouts. It got the attention of the guard of the jail cell who now rushed towards the cell. The bird's distraction worked! Cecil rushed towards the entrance and broke down the front door with force. He rushed towards the jail cell and saw the guard in front of it trying to shoo the bird out of the window. The crow did and flew off (though unknownest to them, he went back onto the roof). "Thank you," Theo said.

"You should be lucky we were here," the guard snapped. "He could've pecked your eyes out. Wish he did. You wouldn't be sitting here for your trial if he did." He turned on his heels (though Cecil hid himself behind a wall so he wouldn't be seen) and then walked back to his post. Cecil emerged from the shadows once more and stopped at the jail cell. Theo now saw him and gasped. Cecil opened his mouth, revealing his sharp fangs. He lent out a low growl at first before backing up and then pounced. The paws hit by force against the steel bars. He managed to crack them but not enough. So, he did again and again until the bars came crashing down. Theo backed up slightly. As soon as it did, every person who was sleeping was now awake. The guards, however, was too busy figuring out who had broke down the front door. "What the bloody hell?" Theo asked. "A black lion?" Thoughts raced through Theo's mind. There's seeing if he can contact a hunter to strike this lion down and sell his parts, and the other that this wasn't good. Cecil had thoughts too. He saw how Theo helped luring him out of his protected area. How he stood by while Walter shot him with an arrow. How he even helped trying get rid of the collar. And how he had given him the knife to chop off Cecil's head and of course skinning him. And, here he was.  _You helped him to kill me. You didn't even spare me. You saw that I had a collar and you did nothing to stop that!_ he said in his head as he growled at Theo. _Before I died, I wasn't violent. Only to other lions to show my dominance of my territory, but never have I killed any human or harm them. You killed me and now its time for that to take place._ The crow's caw could be heard from the distance. He looked up as if saying it was time. He pounced on Theo and bit hard onto the man's neck and part of his face. Theo screamed in terror, clawing at the lion. But the lion was too powerful for him. He screamed in terror after Cecil tore away his skin, blood dripping down his fangs. He shot forward, tearing at the man's chest. His cellmate who woke up screamed in terror and ran for the guards. Cecil didn't take notice. He continued to bite, tear, shaking his powerful mane as he tore away the flesh from the bone. Then, he backed up. Theo was still alive but barely. He coughed out blood and winced in pain. Cecil bent down to the floor where Theo's blood had dripped and lapped at it. He stepped onto the blood with his paws and went onto his hind legs just to press his paws against the wall, leaving behind two paw prints. Then, he walked out of the cell with a trail of bloody paw prints, towards the next jail cell-Honest's.

As the piercing screams of Theo echoed in the jail, Honest, who was actually the owner of the park where Cecil was murdered, crouched up further up to the far corner of the cell. Since these were only big enough to fit only a couple of people, he felt he was safe. Besides, whoever killed Theo won't be able to see him. He was dead wrong. The crow flew right in front of the cell, cawing maliciously at Honest. _He's coming for you,_ the crow said through caws. Honest could've _sworn_ he heard the crow speaking but he shook it off. There's no way....The bird made a huge squak, his wings spread out wide like an eagle's. "Go away!" Honest yelled while waving one skinny arm at the bird. "Go away!" The guards finally had came around to check on the other prisoners. They rushed up to Honest's cell first, waving their arms or getting out their guns and shoot at the bird (having had missed the crow by an inch) or even whistle at it trying to get it to fly away. The crow did but when he flew off towards the right hand side, a pair of glowing gold eyes stared at them. Lightning flashes, showcasing a pure black lion with the stones on his necklace sparkling. He let out a mighty roar and began running towards the guards. Frightened, the guards ran off, shouting that it was the form of the Devil himself. Knowing that he had won the battle, Cecil turned his attention to the frightened Honest. He could see flashes of the man standing over his dead body with a smirk at the doctor and Theo and congratulated them. He could see him not doing anything while they were skinning and beheading Cecil. It was enough to make him really want to tear him up. With one paw, he went towards the lock. But no use. Then, an idea came to mind. One of the guards had dropped their keys by mistake. The crow took notice of it and swooped in, grabbing the keys by his beak and then dropped it at Cecil's paws. He then knelt down, grabbed the one that is used for the cell, stood on his hind legs with his paws on the bar and stuck it in. Then as soon as it was in the lock, he turned it to the left. The door opened as soon as he dropped back down to all four paws. With one swipe at the door, it opened wide. Then, he ran up towards Honest and pounced onto him. Honest screamed as he tried to pull the stronger lion off of him but no use. He had him pinned down to the ground with his paws, his mouth on the neck, tearing at the skin. Honest laid on the floor, his empty and dead eyes staring up at the ceiling. A trail of bloody paw prints were right beside him, and now lead out to the front of the jail. Brent drove up to the sight and saw the crow perching on the roof of the jail and Cecil standing nearby in the rain. Lightning flashed, having the jewels of his necklace glow. "Hey," Brent called out as soon as he pulled up and opened the truck's door. Cecil ran towards him happily and then stood up, his paws now on the man's shoulders and rubbed his snout against Brent's face. Brent laughed. "Okay, okay. I was gone for just five minutes." Cecil went back to all fours. "Alright, well, I got some good news and some bad news. Bad news is that I couldn't find you a plane. Good news is that I found out that Walter is here. Cecil, Walter's in Zimbabwe. I saw him when I was driving back to the prison. Do you know what this means? You don't have to go to Minnesota to get him! You can get him here! Isn't that good?" Cecil purred as he was agreeing. The crow, meanwhile, cawed. "Okay, we don't have much time before he gets up from his dinner at a restaurant called 'Lola's Tapa and Bar'. We can follow him from there to wherever the hotel is that he's staying in. From there, you can exact your revenge."


	3. Walter

The trio arrived to a restaurant called Mama Africa Eating House, located on Victoria Falls Road. This was where Cecil's killer happily sat at a table by himself, eating away with some beer on the side. From the spot across the street, he could spot the killer well. The man had on a dark blue shirt, black jeans, and a black jacket, and dark brown shoes. He didn't notice the jet black lion staring coldy at him with a crow perched on his shoulder, but someone else did-a waiter-who then screamed in fright and ran off. A woman seated nearby Walter, gasped and then stood up from her seat. While this was going on, Walter shrugged his shoulders. He's used to the sight of lions. Even after what he did and the endless killings of animals, it didn't phase him.

"There's that sick son of a bitch," Brent said to Cecil and the crow. "When you get him, scratch his eyes out for me." The crow cawed. Brent chuckled. "Okay, have the crow do that." Cecil purred as he looked up at his friend.

 _Don't worry dear friend. I'll make him suffer. Even for when he had put you through all that grief, same with everyone who adored me and watched over me. You have my word. But,_ he raised one paw at him, _stay here._ Cecil ran straight across the road, following the crow as he leads him to the fence. Since there was no glass for the windows, the crow easily landed swiftly onto the table's surface. Cecil stopped running as soon as he reached the sidewalk, backed up, and then made a huge leap over the fence, his jaws opened to reveal his white fangs and then landed right onto the man himself. Walter and Cecil both knocked backwards, having Walter's chair fall in the process. Walter landed on the floor with a big thud and, like Honest and Theo before him, clawed at the majestic lion. Cecil saw flashes of his death. He saw the man baiting him, shooting him with an arrow, could feel the pain from the arrow take over his body, and then the agonizing pain he had felt for 48 hours before Walter had beheaded him and skinned him. All for what? His head on this man's wall. Not anymore. _You took everything away from me!_ Cecil's shouts rang through the growling and then the roaring. _Who's being hunted now? Your friends are dead and so will you. I'm going to do the same you did to me._

"Get him off of me!" Walter shouts. One of the waiters rushed towards the kitchen to get a knife while the other people seated on each and every side of the two, got up and backed away. Cecil looked up to see one of the men coming back with a knife. He opened his mouth and then sank his fangs into Walter's shoulder. Then, he began dragging the man out of the restaurant. The crow flew off of the table and back out into the night to lead Cecil to where he will take him. When they reached the other side of the road, Cecil released his grip. Brent reached down and helped Walter to his feet and swung an arm around the killer's shoulders. "Oh, thank you. I thought he was going to kill me!"

"No problem. Actually, Cecil was protecting you," Brent lied. "Sorry if he had hurt you."

"No problem. Listen, my hotel is not too far off from here, any chance you can drop me off?"

"Sure!" Brent said. He helped him to the other side and opened the passenger side door, set Walter in, and then closed the door. He looked over at Cecil who looked betrayed. "Don't worry buddy," he now said to Cecil as he walked over to the lion and opened the driver side door. "He's not going to a hotel." He winked at Cecil, went over to his side of the door, got in, and then drove on, with Cecil and the crow in tow.

 

Brent was right. Instead of a hotel, he took him to the exact spot where Walter had killed Cecil. As soon as he had stopped at the train tracks, Walter looked over at Brent with a betrayed look on his face. "What are we doing here? I said the hotel."

"Have to do something first," Brent said as soon as he got out of the truck. "Wait here." He got out of the truck and closed the door then walked off.

"Hey! Don't leave me here!" Walter yelled. He opened the door and climbed out first before closing the door and before he was to walk away (or, limping), the crow swooped down from the tree that he had perched on and began pecking at Walter's bald head. Walter screamed in fright while waving his arms at the bird and then began running. The crow stopped pecking and followed him, Cecil (who was hiding in the bushes nearby), followed him. Walter stopped just about one yard away from the parked truck and rested his hands on his knees. Suddenly, he heard a lion's growl. He turned in a circle trying to see where the sound is coming from but no avail. Thinking maybe its a lion that he could kill, he reached for his pocket. But his gun wasn't there. He must've forgot it at the hotel again. And then, he saw him. Cecil emerged from the bush at his left, teeth bearing as he slowly approached him. With one more roar, he leapt and knocked him backwards like he did at the restaurant, only this time when he clamped onto the wound with his teeth, that he didn't let go.

Walter screeched in pain. Like before, he reached up to the lion to grab onto his mane, but, Cecil dragged his teeth from the wound straight down to his shoulder and then to his elbow, therefore causing a HUGE gash in the process. Walter peered down at the sight and screamed even more, while Cecil backed up and then walked around him, studying him as if he was a wildebeest ready to be pounced. Then, he lunged forward again and did the same to the arm on the right hand side. While this time, Walter closed his eyes. He could feel the tears coming up as his skin was now being split open. Cecil wasn't done. He tore at the neck and at his ear. Then, Cecil backed away. Walter thought it was over. But, he was wrong. Next, he lept at the man and bit onto the man's face. Walter was now being pushed to the ground on his back and screamed in pain as his skin was being torn away. Cecil kept on doing that, going after every single body part from the face to the guy's legs. Just like he was when they skinned him. After he was done, Walter was still breathing (but slowly) and awake (but near death). Just like how poor Cecil was. He lunged at the body and clasped his snout onto Walter's neck, biting at the exposed muscle and then through the vein and then the bones, therefore breaking it. Within minutes, Walter was dead.


	4. Farewell dear King

Cecil pulled away and looked up as Brent came walking back. He covered his mouth and nose with both hands at the sight even as the stench coming from Walter came at him like a torpedo. Right before him was a dead body of Walter. The glasses were broken when Cecil had gone for the face, completely sunk into the muscles of his skull. Draped around his head like a halo was fragments of his face and head. His clothes were tattered, and blood was everywhere. It was as if it came from a horror movie about a radioactive bomb that nuked Africa and this was the result. Cecil had blood dripping down his snout and parts of his necklace. His amber eyes stared down at the killer. It was finished. Brent couldn't believe it. He did it! Cecil actually did it! Cecil looked up at him as if he was asking him what he should do. "Don't worry about the body," Brent said to his friend. "I'll take care of it. Come on, I'll drive you to where the pride is so that you can say goodbye."The crow flew off, giving a satisfy caw that Cecil had done it. Before he was to go on to another person (or creature), he will watch Cecil saying goodbye and then go. It's only fair. The pair head straight to the deep of Hwange, where Cecil's family lives. All seven cubs were sleeping with their mothers and nearby, Jericho slept on his side of the body. Brent and Cecil approached with the crow flapping his wings first before landing on Brent's shoulder. Brent smiled at the bird and gently rubbed his head. Cecil, meanwhile, lent out a huge roar, thereby waking up every lion that was nearby. Each did so-from Jericho, straight down to Cecil's youngest cub. The lions sleepily yawned before they went to their four paws and stared awkwardly at the pure black lion who had just woke them up. Jericho, being the new leader, stepped forward and roared angrily at the lion, defending the pride. "Jericho," Brent shouts. "It's okay, it's Cecil!" Jericho looked over at Brent for a moment as Brent slowly stepped forward. Normally, he wouldn't be this close to the two lions (especially Jericho) but Jericho stepped back allowing him to step forward. When he did so and knelt down in between the two, he nodded his head. "It's him. I didn't believe it either but it really is. Look closer." Jericho stepped forward and looked deeply into Cecil's eyes. He was still in a defensive mood with a low growl but the growl turned into a purr after he realized it _was indeed_ Cecil. The other lions started to encircle the late king as Brent stepped back to allow Cecil to spend some time with his family. He started to play with Jericho as he used to do when they were alive, and affectionately greet his former mates before he started to play with his cubs. However, in the midst of the playing, the crow cawed. Brent looked up to see a lone lion appearing. Where did he come from? Cecil stopped playing as the crow had cawed and looked up. More started to appear as well. For a reason, it brought to Brent memories of the movie _Ghost_ when the angels came to take Sam to Heaven. Cecil saw as many of the pride members that was gone, showed up including Leander. Along with them was lions that was killed during the "trophy hunting" and "canned hunting". One of them was Mohawk, who was killed not that long ago. Endless lions all showed up. Each was different. Some had black manes, others did not. Some were young while others were old. _Its time to come back home._ Cecil walked up to Leander and rubbed his head against his brother's own. Leander purred as he did so and did the same, showing his brother some affection. Then, the two lions parted so that Cecil can acknowledge his other family members. _  
_

_Cecil._  


_Leander?  
_

_Yes, it's me. It's time to come home, brother.  
_

_Crow, is this really him?_   


_It is. You've done everything you had come back for. You're not in limbo anymore. You can be reunited with your late pride. Don't worry about those on Earth. Like Brent said, they'll be okay.  
_

Cecil stopped in the midst of the walk and turned to look at Brent. The crow flew off of his shoulder and landed on a log nearby to watch.

_Uncle Brent. I need to say goodbye to him. Is that okay?_ _  
_

_Of course it is,_ Leander told his brother. _Give him a hug for us._

Cecil approached Brent and then stood up on his hind legs. When he did so, he placed his paws on his friend's shoulders.

 _Goodbye, Uncle Brent. I'll miss you._ He nuzzled his face against his friend's own. Brent hugged him as tight as he could and gave him a kiss on his mane.

"Goodbye dear friend. Don't worry about me. I'll be alright. You're now with your family. And you'll always be with me. I know it. I won't forget you, Cecil." He gave him another kiss on his mane. "Go to your family." Cecil made a small growl as if he said "thank you" before he pulled away and walked back to the huge crowd. There was some fog that began to grow and covered the area. When the fog evaporated, there was nothing but the endless grass and trees. The crow flew off of Brent's shoulders and went back into the sky, cawing as he now made his way to bring someone else back, while Brent smiled. Cecil was now at peace.

  


-The End.


End file.
